Breast Cancer and Hair Dye: Is There A Link Between Coloring Your Hair and Cancer? – Parade

A recent study published in the International Journal of Cancer examined the use of permanent hair dye and chemical straighteners among black and white women with a sister with breast cancer in the U.S.

They found a higher breast cancer risk associated with the use of permanent hair dye and straighteners, with the risk being higher in black women.

The study left many women asking one big question: Should I stop dyeing or straightening my hair?

That question may be on your mind, too, especially if you have a standing appointment at your favorite salon. But experts caution that more research would be useful before theyd encourage you to go gray (or curly).

I think its too early to make a big widespread treatment recommendation based on it, says Dr. Megan Kruse, a breast medical oncologist with the Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Elizabeth Arena, a surgical oncologist specializing in breast cancer atSurgery Group of Los Angeles, has a similar perspective, saying shes not quite ready to tell her patients to stop dyeing their hair just yet. She points out that the study was an observational study, and shed like to see more research.

But I do think its really interesting, she says. I think its really great that someones looking into these things.

One thing to consider is that all the study participants already had a close relative with breast cancer, which automatically puts them in a higher risk category.

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Many experts applaud the researchers of the new study for delving into the issue.

Its definitely going to be something that women are thinking about, says Dr. Kruse, who has already begun fielding questions from patients about the implications of the study.

Medical oncologist Dr. Abenaa Brewster credits the studys researchers for delving into an issue that affects many women and for specifically including black women in the study.

They asked a relevant question that women are concerned about, she says, calling it a culturally relevant question for women.

As the study notes, more than one-third of women over the age of 18 dye their hair, and those dyes contain an array of chemicals, as do many chemical straighteners, which often contain formaldehyde, which is a carcinogen.

The researchers wrote that, in their findings, permanent hair dye use was associated with a 45% higher breast cancer risk in black women, compared with a 7% higher risk in white women. They also raised questions about products used by many black women. They wrote, The strength of association observed for permanent dye use among black women is consistent with toxicological assessments that report higher concentrations of estrogens and endocrine-disrupting compounds in hair products marketed to black women.

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People can control how they alter their hair color or consistency. If future studies conclude that using certain types of hair products do raise the risk of developing breast cancer, some doctors may add that to their list of modifiable risk factors.

But there are already other modifiable risk factors.

There are things that you can do to alter your risk, and this may be one, says Brewster, professor in the Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

For example, you cant change your age or your family history of breast cancer, but you can make positive changes to your diet. You can exercise more frequently, lose weight and maintain a healthy body weight. You can swap cocktails for mocktails, as research shows that reducing the amount of alcohol that you consume can lower your risk for developing hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.

The use of hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, is another possible risk factor that some women can address. Many post-menopausal take some form of HRT to relieve menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes, sweating and vaginal dryness.

HRT does come in different formspills, as well as skin patches, gels and vaginal creamsand with different combinations of hormones, notes Dr. Kruse. And the risk may depend on the type of HRT that a woman chooses, the age of the woman herself, and the duration of time that she takes HRT.

Dr. Arena says she encourages patients with concerns to talk to their gynecologists about their issues with menopause. Some women may choose to forego HRT or switch to a different type, depending on the symptoms theyre trying to manage and their other risk factors, such as a family history of breast cancer.

But at this point, with patients who are at average risk for developing breast cancer, Dr. Arena says she will probably tell patients, At this stage, you dont need to change your practice with what you do with your hair.

Dr. Kruse hopes that women will take advantage of the opportunity posed by the studys release to consider their own risk profiles. She also hopes theyll look into their family histories, if they havent already.

It will hopefully get some people asking their family members about it and talking about it, she says.

Learn about Hairprint, a nontoxic hair color thats rolling out in salons.

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Breast Cancer and Hair Dye: Is There A Link Between Coloring Your Hair and Cancer? - Parade